5G-powered mobility testbed and the first cross-border mobility simulation space in Europe.
Challenge
Europe is a continent with many borders and a wide variety of mobile operators. Uninterrupted cross-border network connectivity is a must to successfully implement innovative 5G-enabled mobility solutions across the region.
However, a smooth transition from one operator on one side of the border to the other while providing uninterrupted connectivity is a significant technical challenge, as cross-border solutions cannot fully function without a fast changeover between mobile networks. Thus, testing 5G mobility solutions in a cross-border environment is needed to address this challenge.
A testbed for new-generation mobility solutions
In 2021, LMT successfully launched a 5G mobility testbed in the “Biķernieki” racetrack in Riga, Latvia. Its first use case was demonstrated on August 20, 2021 – a teleoperated vehicle simulation was remotely conducted from the town of Cēsis 80 km away using LMT’s 5G network. The use case showed the fast-approaching reality of operating automated vehicles on the 5G network.
The 5G mobility testbed enables innovative solution development to a wide range of stakeholders – startups, public sector companies, academia, and more. They now have a space to test their latest products, collaborate on new mobility solutions, and deploy their developments much faster.
LMT is also a part of the VEFRESH innovation district, located in Riga, Latvia. The district serves as an innovation sandbox for various stakeholders to prototype and test their solutions in a public urban space.
Cross-border mobility
The 5G mobility testbed is the first-ever cross-border mobility simulation space in Europe. It uses Latvia’s LMT and Estonia’s Telia 5G networks to imitate fully functioning international connectivity. Developing the cross-border connectivity simulation within the testbed was a part of the 5G-ROUTES project – an international automated mobility initiative devoted to validating 5G field trials on the “Via Baltic North” 5G cross-border corridor.
The Baltics are well-known for having a strong network coverage, enabling faster deployment of 5G-powered solutions, and testing for cross-border connectivity. With cross-border mobility simulation space, developments become even faster and allow connected and automated vehicles on a broader scale.
For more information on the 5G mobility testbed, contact us directly.